Archives,
2009

January 26, 2009 [LINK / comment]

New constitution for Bolivia

Based on early returns, it appears that almost three-fifths of the people of Bolivia voted to approve a revised constitution that would greatly enhance the powers of the president. (Note that this is exactly what happened in Ecuador last September.) President Evo Morales announced his historic triumph in a speech from the palace balcony, proclaiming a new era of "equality for all Bolivians." It was by no means a landslide, however: Between 56 and 60 percent of voters approved the new basic charter, and this support was concentrated in the highlands of western and central Bolivia. The eastern lowlands, where the country's petroleum and gas are centered, voted against Morales. This includes the departments of Santa Cruz, Tarija, Beni and Pando. Morales compromised on some of the provisions in response to violent protests against his government last year. New elections for the executive and legislative branches will be held in December. See BBC and the Washington Post.

Morales thus follows Presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Rafael Correa of Ecuador in radically restructuring government power, putting more power in the hands of the people. (In Bolivia's case, this means Native American Indian people.) Whether this populistic majoritarian model of democracy can survive for very long in a country with a history of instability such as Bolivia is an open question. The opponents of Morales are very likely to push harder for regional autonomy, and an open civil war of secession is entirely possible.

Web page updates

I have updated the Latin America Introduction page and the Latin America Current situation page.

January 19, 2009 [LINK / comment]

U.S.-Peru free trade pact

As one of his final official acts as U.S. President, George W. Bush signed the U.S.-Peru free trade pact which was ratified by the U.S. Senate in December 2007 after a stiff debate. The delay in signing the agreement stemmed from a variety of concerns over implementation. As reported by BBC, "Earlier this week, Democrats in the US Congress and development organisations said Peru had still not fulfilled key obligations to improve its labour rights and environmental standards and urged Mr Bush not to sign the deal." Some Peruvian farmers fear that subsidized U.S. agricultural imports will undercut home-grown agricultural produce, a concern that is not without merit. The U.S. Congress should reduce farm subsidies that distort domestic and international markets, and replace such measures with a reformed system of credits, which would be a better way to help tide farmers over in lean years.

Contraband wildlife

Chilean inspectors seized at least 400 exotic animals from Peru that were discovered in cardboard boxes aboard a Chilean boat last week. The distressed creatures will be returned to Peru promptly. According to CNN.com, the smuggled cargo included "macaws, toucans, parrots, turtles, squirrels and crocodiles, most of them protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. ... The captain of the ship ... faces a possible fine of between $188,000 and $940,000..." Congratulations to the government of Chile for enforcing laws designed to protect Nature, which is often difficult in poor countries. It's another sign that Chile is joining the ranks of the developed world.

Costa Rica earthquake

An earthquake hit Costa Rica earlier this month, killing about three dozen people. It was centered in the mountains northwest of the capital city San Jose. See CNN.com. This is not far from the Volcano Poas where Jacqueline and I visited four years ago.

Brazil update

I have updated the chronology on the Brazil background information page.

January 30, 2009 [LINK / comment]

Indigenous politics in Chile

Compared to its neighbors in South America, Chile stands out in several ways. It is one of the most prosperous countries in the continent, and it has made a remarkable transformation over the past two decades from a deeply divided society ruled by a military dictatorship to stable democracy. In cultural and ethnic terms, it is almost as European as Argentina, to the east, with a relatively small indigenous minority. Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia have significant indigenous rights movements, and thanks to a history teacher named Gustavo Quilaqueo, Chile has begun to emulate that political phenomenon, ironically. He has led in the creation of a political party representing the Mapuche tribe, centered in the province of Araucania, in the cool and moist southern part of Chile. He is aware that it will take several years for the indigenous peoples in Chile to become a major political force. See BBC.